Album review: Muse, 'The Resistance'

This over-the-top English trio has long played to smaller audiences in the United States than it does throughout Europe, where Muse is considered among the biggest rock bands on Earth. (In 2007 it played two sold-out shows at London's 75,000-capacity Wembley Stadium.)

Yet singer-guitarist Matt Bellamy, bassist Chris Wolstenholme and drummer Dominic Howard received a considerable boost on these shores last year when their song "Supermassive Black Hole" was featured prominently in the hit movie "Twilight." And last week came news that "Uprising," the lead single from the band's fifth full-length, had topped the U.S. alternative-rock radio chart.

In some ways, "The Resistance" seems designed for an American breakthrough: "Undisclosed Desires" rides a lithe R&B groove that could've come from a song by Nelly Furtado, while "Uprising" finds Bellamy sympathizing with folks who consider themselves victims of Wall Street greed. Over a thumping disco-glam beat he sneers, "It's time the fat cats had a heart attack," a line that's likely to draw a huge reaction later this month when Muse opens a string of U2 shows on the East Coast and in Texas.

On the other hand, much of "The Resistance" reflects how uninterested the members of Muse are in dialing down their appealing flamboyance to attract Daughtry and Nickelback fans. That arty intransigence often improves the band's music, as in "United States of Eurasia," which proceeds from a pretty piano-ballad intro to an Arabian-accented orchestral-rock climax.

Occasionally, though, it can make Bellamy and his bandmates sound like the world's most successful sourpusses. You don't have to make it all the way through "Exogenesis," the three-part symphony that closes the new album, before you start hankering for a Nickelback-style chorus.

-- Mikael Wood

Muse  
"The Resistance"
Warner Bros.
Two and a half stars

Comments

[MONIQUE]

This review, I'm sorry to say, definitely sucks. You didn't really review the album at all. You just mentioned one or two things, and made a big circle around it. It's like you were assigned to cover this beat, did a great intro, and then didn't have time to actually listen to the album and half-assed the end. And to COMPARE Muse to Nickelback and Daughtry... is like comparing a giraffe to a tissue. There is nothing, in common, at all. And I am very sad that somebody who didn't bother to do any research behind the album, its lyrics and correspondence to the musical arrangement, or the entire mentality behind Muse was chosen to write this.

[D Nol]

... WHAT?

[Honestly?!?!]

I'm sorry, but your comparison of Muse to Nickelback reminds me of an idiot on blabbermouth.net who said Motley Crüe was better than Queen. And he got a well-deserved verbal thrashing from other users, just as you're getting one here. Maybe you're that same idiot, ha ha ha ha ha.

[Shawn]

Are you an idiot? So, you're basically rating it low because it doesn't sound like Nickelback?

Muse shouldn't aspire to be known more in America, because Americans are the utmost idiots.

:)

[Conor]

As a Nickelback and a Muse fan, I must say that I am insulted.

I have to agree with everything everyone else has been saying. The sweeping pianos and violin backdrops that have made their way into Exogenesis have only enhanced the songs, and I've never felt the need for a "Nickelback-style chorus" after I've finished them. In fact, I find myself never even thinking about Nickelback when I listen to Muse, and vice-versa. Where are you drawing these similarities between them?

I've read a handful reviews that dislike the album (out of a plethora of people giving it praise), and sometimes I find myself respectfully disagreeing with them. This isn't the case here.

Perhaps if you presented a more in-depth review of the album and what really makes or breaks it, then I could be more respectful towards your claim. All I see here is some unattributed linking to Nickelback and Daughtry, two other big bands. I don't know where you're getting your "facts" from, but since when is Muse trying to attract those fans? The way you state it, its like Muse "sold out" to reel new fans in. I certainly don't know where you're getting this idea from, but O.K.

All in all, this seemed very uninformed. Take a look at all the other comments, they seem to reflect a different opinion than the one you presented. I'd like to see a real review on the new album, preferably from someone less biased and willing to go into more detail about why the album may or may not be so great.

[gidgetgurl]

Moron. Your review belongs in the Tolucan Times, not the Los Angeles Times.

[Adam]

WOOWOWOWOWOWOOWOW

go kill yourself

[Charles Marriott]

Nickelback? Are you serious? You should be fired form providing any commentary on music in this country or any other for that matter. This album is technically and musically brilliant while Matt Bellamy is an actual musical genius/prodigy overflowing with talent. Nickelback WTF?

[Jessica]

MUSE is AMAZING once again!!

[David]

No one should be able to take this review seriously after seeing the words Nickelback and Daughtry anywhere in the article.

I wouldn't expect a band like to muse to attract nickelback fans or britney spears fans or backstreet boys fans either, and thank god.

[Matt]

Wow. I was disappointed when I saw this review, but the fact that not one person agreed with this joke of a writer gives me hope that Muse will finally overcome the ridiculous need for a band to fit a mold in America.

[Nancy]

Note to self: Do not read Mikael Wood if I want a serious music review! I have to agree with 99% of the comments here. This guy has absolutely no clue.

[laughingatyou]

I personally would like to thank the writer of this review for reminding everyone how completely out of touch the LA Times are with the rest of the world.

Nickelback? Really? Come on man you're embarrassing yourself.

[Pete]

Err, have any of the commenters complaining the reviewer comparing ti to Nickelback actually read this review??

'"The Resistance" reflects how UNINTERESTED the members of Muse are in dialing down their appealing flamboyance to attract Daughtry and Nickelback fans.'

This means that they HAVEN'T dumbed down to appeal to Nickelback fans. Only halfwit Nickelback fans could have thought that!

[Webjester.]

Seriously, this review is useless. The author has no idea what Muse is trying to do with this album. Mr. Wood: Get a clue.

[yvonne]

What? What? I'm sorry, I can't hear you, Mikael. I've got Uprising cranked... Did you have something to say??

[Mike Wilmoth]

If listening to Muse makes you want to hear Nickelback, you need to find another line of work. Why don't you go live in the woods and stop bothering people?

[Sean]

I am astounded at this review. "Hankering for a Nickelback chorus"?

Go engage in autoerotic behavior, you insufferable dullard.

Nickelback is the antithesis of everything that music should be. And to compare any band to them is equivalent to, in a debate forum, Nazi-baiting your opponent.

Shame on you sir, and shame on the LA Times for featuring you as a music critic when clearly you belong behind the merchandise table at the Inglewood Forum.

[Lydia]

This review of muse and their new album seems as it if is a problem for a band to have a different style than other bands that appeal to a general audience, such as 'nickleback'. Anyone who compares a band like muse,who happen to combine so many musical techniques , instruments and styles of music to NICKLEBACK must not..no offence..have a musical ear or any spontaneity.
Have you listened to any of muse's other albums?
And why nickleback? Queen has been incorporated hugely in this album.
I think you got this wrong mate.

[Lula]

Bah ha ha ha!!! Nickelback? And you ADMIT that's what you prefer? I am embarrassed for you, and I do hope that you will get the help you so clearly need. Nelly Fertado? Bah ha ha ha. Sorry, but I am almost too amused with your review to stay angry with you - silly twit.

[Howard]

this sickens me. anyone that hates the nickelback suggestion should read the Muse article @ this site: http://hardee7.wordpress.com/

[chris]

Am I the only one that thinks these guys ripped of Radiohead?

[ZairaAmaterasu]

The Resistance is hands down the best rock album of the entire year. I really loved also Green Day one, but this one is superior. The boldly crafted melodies, the taste for symphonical kickass rock, the variatey, the lyrics and the experimental touches all deserve a HUGE praise. I'm ashamed such a poor review was given to them, while something way easier and less edgier, less creative as Mika's new album can get more praise than this amazing album on LA Times pages.
Nickleback? Oh, please.
Daughtry? Are you kidding? Is this space now devoted to trash coming out from American Idol façade?
Muse are artists of another range and level.
Thank God 16 Countries (my Italy included) show more taste than some of the american audiences that think music stay in ashaming productions such as American Idol. We sent Muse straight where they belong, to # 1 spot in the charts.
It seems what works currently in USA is all-powered, pompous Jay Z (overrated, in my opinion) or the fake overmade and all equal pop, might it be funny (and nice, like Gaga) or completely boring and all uninventive, like everything coming from ANY A.Idol former alumni.
Muse can write, self produce, create amazeballs tunes. Muse are a thunderstorm live: they were THE ONLY act playing FULLY live at MTV VMA last week: no Pink, no Gaga, not even Green Day were fully live (although all performances from them were cool). Just them. Being very faithful to themselves, their educated inspirations, their fans and ROCK. Mainstream or Alternative, it doesn't matter when it can be of such a high quality, like the music Muse gift us with.
Only Radiohead can compare (and still even better) in that really creative and brilliantly evocative field.
Think that I am writing this, but I can love many types of music, included pop and pop rock (and actually my two fav bands - Coldplay and Maroon5 - belong to those fields).
It's not about music genres, it is more about music talent and truthfullness.
To overlook Muse is a MUSIC CRIME, I had to write something. You don't need to be a nerd alternative freak to appreciate Muse. They do relate to those loving real music very easily, especially when you follow them live.
I wish Los Angeles Times wouldn't follow the trash, nor the common safe ground. But this reviewer proves me wrong. I wonder how many times the reviewer listened to the record, if any.
Let's hope American public has a better taste than this pages suggest, and keep following Muse and support them... No matter how bad on point this review is.
I'm sure if any of you will catch them live, you will fall in love.

[Chris F.]

I always love it when a reviewer doesn't give listeners any credit for having intelligence at all. "You don't have to make it all the way through 'Exogenesis,' the three-part symphony that closes the new album, before you start hankering for a Nickelback-style chorus" - so none of us must have an attention span lasting more than four minutes to be able to appreciate a song that goes beyond the standard pop structure? All modern music has to be tied back to cookie-cutter acts like Nickleback, Daughtry and Nelly Furtado?? Unbelievable that this writer think that Muse needs to give any consideration to trying to appeal to that audience. Muse is far superior to those acts both creatively and technically and set their own standard.

[Mark]

Are you kidding me? Muse are the most musically interesting and creative band to come out of my homeland - England for decades! And this so-called reviewer tries to compare them in some way to Nickelback???? Nickelback are talentless and boring and tread the same chords and structures as the thousands of rock bands before them. Muse are truly brilliant live and Matt Bellamy trained in classical music as a youngster and as a musician myself I find that Muse' music is a true challenge to learn....not like the total drivel that Nickelback knock out such as 'something in your mouth' that merely accelerates the idiocracy going on in this civilization.